Sifted AI 100: Europe’s rising AI startups in 2025
Ranking the most-promising European AI startups in 2025
Sifted’s first annual AI 100 ranks the 100 rising startups harnessing artificial intelligence to reshape industries across Europe. The 2025 edition highlights companies tackling everything from advanced materials and robotics to biotech, enterprise tools and defense applications — a snapshot of Europe’s fast-evolving AI landscape.
This year’s ranking combines data-driven analysis with expert evaluation from Sifted’s editorial and intelligence teams, alongside input from sponsor N47. Companies were assessed on market opportunity, competitive differentiation and momentum — with an emphasis on originality and impact over funding size. Eligible startups were founded in 2018 or later, valued between $25m and $999m, and headquartered in one of 32 European countries.
The 2025 cohort is young and fast-moving: the average founding year is 2022, and together these startups have raised €4.4bn from 716 investors. The UK, Germany and France dominate, home to over three-quarters of the ranking, with London leading as Europe’s top AI hub.
Download the full report here to explore the complete ranking, meet the judges and discover the trends shaping Europe’s AI moment.
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